European leaders meet in Brussels as Poland’s Donald Tusk issues warning to fellow EU states
EU leaders are meeting in Brussels today for end-of-year talks with a key decision to make on using frozen Russian assets to boost Ukraine’s defence against Russia.
The 27-nation bloc scrambles to strengthen Kyiv’s hand while Donald Trump pushes for a quick deal to end the fighting as the war drags towards the four-year mark.
The EU estimates Ukraine needs an extra €135bn ($159bn) to stay afloat over the next two years, with the cash crunch set to start in April. To plug the gap the European Commission has put forward a plan to tap some €210bn of Russian central bank assets frozen in the bloc.
German chancellor Friedrich Merz said the assets plan was essential to increase pressure on Vladimir Putin and send “a clear signal to Russia”.
